Wall Mounted Sanitized Child Seat

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a seat for a small infant or child, comprising a first support member and second support member, that are pivotably attached and forming a frame, a covering, and a sanitized paper dispenser. The device can be attached to a vertical support surface, such as to the wall in a public restroom. The sanitized paper may be used to cover the seat, which prevents the infant or small child from coming in direct contact with the seat, and prevents the spread of germs, viruses, and bacteria. This provides a parent or caretaker with a safe and sanitary location to place an infant or small child while using a public restroom.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/551,664 filed on Oct., 26, 2011, entitled “The Toddler Hold and Fold.” The patent application identified above is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an infant seat. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a wall mounted infant seat that is attachable to the wall in a public restroom.

Parents and caretakers of infants and toddlers often find it difficult to take small children into public places, such as grocery stores and shopping malls. In addition to carrying items that have been purchased, parents and caretakers must also transport their children who are unable to walk for extended periods of time. Many devices have been developed in order to make trips to public locations easier. Devices such as strollers, car seats that can attach to a shopping cart, and highchair covers help to make these trips less burdensome on parents and caretakers. One area that still remains difficult to negotiate when carrying small children, however, is the restroom.

When a parent or caretaker needs to use a public restroom, he or she often finds it difficult to take care of a young child, particularly when traveling without another adult. Strollers are often not large enough to fit into the restroom, and are not able to be closed inside a stall while one uses a toilet. In situations when the stroller can fit into the restroom, the parent or caretaker may be forced to leave the child and stroller outside of the closed stall, with the child unattended. Such practices can be dangerous to the child, who can easily be abducted before the parent or caretaker exit the stall.

Some parents and caretakers instead choose to take their child into the bathroom stall, leaving him or her on the bathroom floor. This, however, can lead to the child touching various surfaces within the stall, such as the public toilet or floor, which may be an unsanitary surface. In addition to the unsanitary surfaces within the restroom, the child may attempt to crawl away, thereby causing the parent or caretaker to focus on the child, instead of focusing on using the toilet. To prevent such problems, parents and caretakers may attempt to balance the child on his or her lap, which can potentially cause injury to the child if he or she falls.

The present invention overcomes such problems by providing a wall mounted infant seat that is attachable to the wall in a public restroom. The seat additionally includes a roll of disposable, sanitized paper that may be used to cover the seat, and an attachment means that prevents the material from inadvertently coming loose. This provides a parent or caretaker with a safe and sanitary location to place an infant or small child while using a public restroom.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Several devices have been disclosed in the art that provide a seat for the child inside the restroom stall. Many of these seats are attachable to a bathroom wall, and are designed to hold an infant or small child while a parent or caretaker is using a toilet. These seats, however, may receive constant use by infants and small children who place their hands in their mouths and touch the sitting surface, thereby contaminating the surface with a variety of germs. While these seats may appear to be clean, they may in fact be contaminated with viruses and bacteria that can cause illness to a young child with a developing immune system. This requires a parent or caretaker to carry sanitizing wipes and wipe down the seat before placing the infant or small child therein, which can be inconvenient and impractical. The present invention provides a means of covering the sitting surface of the seat with a built-in sanitary paper dispenser. A user can pull the paper from the dispenser, tear it at the included perforation, and cover the seat, thereby providing a sanitary sitting surface.

Folding, wall mounted child seats currently exist in the prior art. Simmons, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,123 discloses a child seat positionable between an operative deployed orientation and an inoperative storage orientation. The device comprises a main support frame in a generally inverted U-shaped configuration, having a pair of parallel vertical legs and a single horizontal leg. An attachment bracket is secured to each vertical leg for coupling the device to a horizontal surface, such as the wall of a bathroom. This device, however, includes a flexible, fabric cover that serves as a sitting surface for the child. As can be appreciated, the, such material can harbor germs, viruses, and bacteria, and can be extremely difficult to clean and sanitize. The present invention is formed from a material that is simple to clean, and further includes a roll of disposable, sanitized paper that may be used to cover the seat.

Jiang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,080,417 discloses a chair that includes a support having vertical rails to slideably receive one or more brackets that allow the seat plate to be rotated relative to the bracket and the support. The cam may engage with the rail to support the seat plate in a folding position when the seat plate is parallel to the support, and may also engage with the rail to support the seat plate in an open and working position when the seat plate is perpendicular to the support. This device, however, does not include apertures for supporting the legs of the child, and instead requires the child to balance himself or herself on the seat. Such a design is not intended for infants and small children who cannot balance on a conventional chair. In addition, the device does not include a protective cover made of sanitized paper.

Siani, U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,493 discloses an infant wall seat and changing table assembly that is foldable between a flat position and a horizontal position, at which it forms a changing table for the child. The assembly is further folded to form a seat for the child with constraints for maintaining the child therein. The assembly may then be returned to either the changing table position or its flat vertical position. This device is primarily intended for use as a changing table for a small infant, and requires several steps in order to convert the changing table into a seat. The present invention can be moved from a storage position into a use position with one hand by unfolding the sitting surface. This prevents the parent or caretaker from having to set the child on the floor in order to prepare the device for use.

Takahashi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,439 discloses an infant restraining chair for installation in a corner or other compact area of a bathroom, or for restraining an infant while the infant's guardian makes use of bathroom facilities. The device comprises of a chair supporting and surrounding a substantial portion of an infant's body, and is mounted on top of a column having a cross-section of a generally triangular shape. This device, however, cannot be installed inside a conventional bathroom stall, but would instead require placement in an oversized stall or outside of the stall. The present invention can be installed on the interior side of the bathroom stall door, thereby preventing the need for modification to the existing stalls in a restroom.

Tompros, U.S. Patent Application No. 20100116856 discloses a modular infant carrier apparatus, comprising a sling with a tail portion and two arm portion supports with rings at the ends of the tail portion. The arm portions are brought together at a single point above the infant. The rings are held together by a clamp, and the clamp allows the sling to be attached to space-saving receivers including a wall-mounted hook, a ceiling-mounted hook, and a door-mounted hook. This device, however, supports an infant in a horizontal position, and requires un-mounting the device from the hook, laying the device on a horizontal surface, placing the infant inside of the device, bringing the arm portions together so the clamp can be attached, and mounting the clamp on the hook. The present invention, in contrast, requires unfolding of the sitting area, and placement of the child therein.

The devices disclosed in the prior art provide a seat for a child that can be installed inside a public restroom stall. The primary function of such devices is to restrain a small child or infant while a parent or caretaker uses the restroom facilities. The means by which the devices in the prior art achieve this makes them susceptible to harboring germs, viruses, and bacteria, which can spread a number of illnesses. The present invention overcomes the problems inherent in the prior art by providing a means of covering the sitting surface in order to prevent the spread of germs. The device provides a sanitary paper dispenser that can be installed over the seat, thereby preventing the infant or small child from making direct contact therewith. A parent or caretaker can install the paper by attaching it to the provided clip, place the child in the seat, use the facilities, and dispose of the paper when complete.

In light of the prior art and the disclosed elements of the present invention, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art. Consequently, it is clear that that present invention is not described by the art and that a need exists for an improved infant seat that is attachable to the wall in a public restroom. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of child seats now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new wall mounted infant seat, wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when attempting to use a public restroom when carrying an infant or small child.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that is attachable to the wall in a public restroom.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that can be moved from a storage position to a use position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that includes a roll of disposable, sanitized paper that may be used to cover the seat.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that includes an attachment means that prevents the sanitized paper from inadvertently coming loose.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that is constructed from a nonporous material that allows for ease of cleaning.

A final object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wall mounted infant seat that may be readily fabricated from materials that permit relative economy and are commensurate with durability.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the present invention, wherein the device is attached to a vertical wall surface.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the present invention with the sanitized paper attached to a pair of clips.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the folding means of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the wall mounted infant seat. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for supporting an infant or small child. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention, which comprises of a first support member 11, a second support member 12 that is pivotably attached to the first member 11, a covering 13 connecting the first and second members 11, 12, and a sanitized paper dispenser 14. The first member 11 creates the vertical support surface of the seat, while the second member 12 forms the horizontal frame for the device. Attached to the interior of the second member 12 is the covering 13. The covering 13 attaches to the second member 12 in such a way as to create apertures for the insertion of an infant or small child's legs therein. The child is thus supported by the cover 13 between his or her legs. The sanitized paper dispenser 14 is positioned above the first member 11, and can house a roll of sanitized paper 15. The paper 15 can be dispensed from the paper dispenser 14 and used to cover the sitting area of the device. The end of the paper 15 is held in place with at least one clip 17, thereby providing a sanitary sitting area for the child.

The first support member 11 comprises a frame that is formed of a rigid member that forms a seatback for the device, which provides a vertical support for the back of the infant or small child. The first support member 11 is of sufficient height to provide a headrest for an infant or small child sitting therein. The interior 18 of the first member 11 can be padded in order to provide additional comfort to the child sitting therein.

The rear face of the first support member 11 contains an attachment means for securing the device to a vertical support surface. As can be appreciated by a person skilled in the art, the securing means comprises a plurality of apertures spaced about the rear face thereof. Each aperture having a smaller portion towards the top of the device, and a larger portion towards the bottom thereof. This enables a fastening means having a head, such as a nail or screw, to be placed therethrough in order to secure the device to the vertical support surface. The lower portion of the aperture is large enough to enable the fastener to pass therethrough. Once the fasteners are placed through the lower portion of the aperture, the device is lowered so that the fastener rests on the upper portion of the aperture, which is smaller than the head of the fastener. The weight of the seat prevents the rack from being removed from the support surface unless it is lifted up to enable the fasteners to pass through the lower portion of the aperture. Alternately, a flush bracket with a plurality of apertures can be provided for receiving a fastener. Preferably, the device can be easily detached from the support surface for cleaning.

The second support member 12 comprises a rigid frame that forms a substantially U-shaped configuration. The second member 12 is pivotably attached to the first member 11 with a pair of hinges 19 on either side thereof. The hinges 19 enable the device to be placed in a folded position when not in use. The second member 12 is further attached to the first member 11 with a pair of extension arms 20 that are attached on opposing sides of the device. The extension arms 20 function to support the second member 12 in a use position. The extension arms 20 are pivotably attached with a hinge 21, 22 at both the first member 11 and second member 12, and further include a hinge 23 in the middle thereof. The extension arm hinges 21, 22, 23 enable the device to be folded for storage when not in use.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention with the sanitized paper 15 attached to a pair of clips 17. The upper section of the first member 11 includes a dispenser 14 for sanitized paper 15. The sanitized paper 15 comprises conventional sanitary paper that is well understood in the art, and is usually found covering an exam table at a doctor's office, or used as a toilet seat cover. The paper 15 is contained within the dispenser 14 and can be dispensed through an aperture 24 in the dispenser 14. The paper 15 can be perforated such that a section can extend from the dispenser 14, and cover over the first member 11, the seat portion 13, and attach to the second member 12. The perforation provides a desired amount of paper 15 to substantially cover the contact points between an infant or small child and the seat. The perforation further prevents a user from having to rip the paper at an arbitrary position, which can lead to the unnecessary use of excess paper.

The dispenser 14 further includes an access point to enable replacement of the sanitary paper 15 when depleted. The access point can comprise a door, a hinge, or another suitable means of accessing the interior of the dispenser 14. A user can open the dispenser 14, install a new roll of paper 15 therein, and pull the edge of the paper 15 though the aperture 24.

The paper 15 attaches to the second member 12 with an attachment means. In the preferred embodiment, the attachment means comprises a pair of clips 17 that are secured to the second member 12. The clips 17 hold the paper 15 in position to ensure that the paper 15 is not inadvertently removed from the covering 13 when a child is placed within the seat. The clips 17 can utilize a spring mechanism, can be formed from a one-piece design similar to a clothespin, or can use another suitable mechanism for securing the paper 15.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a perspective view of the present invention with the folding capabilities. Attached to the first member 11 and second member 12 is a covering 13. The covering 13 is comprised of a thick piece of nonporous material that provides a sitting surface for an infant or small child contained within the seat. The covering 13 extends below the second member 12, and further includes a space on either side thereof, which allows for passage of the child's legs therethrough. When a child is properly positioned within the device, his or her legs will dangle on either side of the covering 13, in a similar manner to that of an infant swing.

The design of the first member 11, second member 12, and covering 13 enable the device to fold when not in use. This is accomplished by moving the middle hinge 23 on the extension arms towards the first member 11. This lifts the distal end of the second member 12 up and towards the first member 11, which allows the second member 12 to retain a semi-vertical configuration. When in the storage position, the extension arms 20 are folded within a channel 25 that extends along the length of the first and second members 11, 12. The second member 12 is secured in a vertical position with a pair of snap-lock hinges on each side thereof that prevent the second member 12 from inadvertently moving into a horizontal position.

The present invention may be constructed of any suitable material that helps to prevent the spread of germs, viruses, and bacteria. The nonporous material further facilitates ease of cleaning. Materials such as aluminum, steel, plastic, and vinyl are contemplated. Likewise, the extension arms may be constructed of any material that provides support to the first and second members in order to hold the second member in a horizontal position.

Overall, the device provides a secure and sanitary seat for an infant or small child, which allows a parent or caretaker to use a public restroom while properly monitoring the child. The sanitized paper dispenser provides a cover for the contact points between the child and the seat, thereby preventing the spread of germs, viruses, and bacteria. The nonporous materials used to construct the seat enable ease of cleaning, and prevent the device from harboring various pathogens. The seat can be quickly and easily unfolded with one hand, which enables the parent or caretaker to support the infant or small child while preparing the seat for use. This prevents the child from making contact with any unsanitary surfaces within the restroom.

To this point, the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

I claim: 1) A seat for a small infant or child, comprising: a first support member and second support member, said first and second support members being pivotably attached and forming a frame; a covering attached to said first and second members, and providing a sitting surface; and a sanitized paper dispenser. 2) The device of claim 1, wherein said first support member further comprising a frame formed of a rigid member that forms a seatback for the said seat. 3) The device of claim 1, wherein said first support member further comprising an attachment means for securing said seat to a vertical support surface. 4) The device of claim 1, wherein said second support member further comprising a substantially U-shaped configuration. 5) The device of claim 1, wherein said second member being pivotably attached to said first member with a pair of hinges on either side thereof. 6) The device of claim 5, wherein said second member being further attached to said first member with a pair of extension arms that support said second member in a horizontal position. 7) The device of claim 1, further comprising sanitized paper being contained within said sanitized paper dispenser and being dispensed through an aperture in said dispenser. 8) The device of claim 7, wherein said sanitized paper contains perforations that provide an amount of paper to substantially cover the contact points between an infant or small child and said seat. 9) The device of claim 1, wherein said sanitized paper dispenser further comprising an aperture to enable replacement of said sanitary paper when depleted. 10) The device of claim 1, wherein said sanitary paper attaches to said second member with an attachment means. 11) The device of claim 10, wherein said attachment means comprises a pair of clips that are secured to said second member. 12) The device of claim 1, wherein said covering further comprising a thick piece of nonporous material that provides a sitting surface for an infant or small child contained within said seat. 13) The device of claim 6, wherein said extension arms are folded within a channel that extends along the length of said first and second members. 14) The device of claim 1, wherein said second member can be folded into a substantially vertical position for storage with a pair of snap-lock hinges on each side thereof. 